FP1 Report: Vanthoor Fastest Amid Crash at Macau GT World Cup
Macau, October 12, 2023 – Laurens Vanthoor delivered a blistering performance in the first free practice session of the FIA GT World Cup, clocking a fastest lap of 2:16.451 in his #92 Tempo by Absolute Racing Porsche. However, the session ended on a dramatic note as Vanthoor crashed into the barriers at Turn 2 with only minutes remaining, resulting in substantial damage to the car.
Despite the incident, Vanthoor’s earlier time secured him the top spot, 0.755 seconds quicker than local favorite Yifei Ye, who piloted the #83 Harmony Racing Ferrari 296 GT3. Raffaele Marciello finished third in the #53 ROWE Racing BMW, with Adderly Fong rounding out the top four in the Uno Racing Team Audi, all within one second of Vanthoor.
Vanthoor exited the vehicle unaided, and the session was not resumed following the accident. The Absolute Racing team quickly began assessing the vehicle’s damage upon its return to the paddock, with a full set of spare parts, including engines and a potential new chassis, readily available for repairs.
Free Practice 1 Times:
- Laurens Vanthoor (Porsche) – 2:16.451
- Yifei Ye (Ferrari) – +0.755
- Raffaele Marciello (BMW) – Time TBA
- Adderly Fong (Audi) – Time TBA
The preparations for the upcoming races continue as teams assess performance and vehicle conditions post-FP1.
